Suction cleaner



Nov. 2, 1943. M. D. STAHL 2,333,449

sUc'rIQN CLEANER Filed Aug. 21, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 1y. 3 2 Maurice 0. 51ml ATTORNEY Nov. 2, 1943. M, D STAHL 2,333,449

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Aug. 21, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Maurice Slafil ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 2, 1943 SUCTION CLEANER Maurice D. Stahl, North Canton, Ohio, asslgnor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 21, 1935, Serial 1%. 37,106

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to suctionclean- 'ers in general, and in particular to new and novel improvements in means to reduce the noise of cleaneroperation while at the same time increasing cleaning efficiency. More specifically the invention comprises a new and improved suction cleaner unit in which there is incorporated a mufiler which absorbs the sound vibrations fromthe cleaning air exhausted from the air-moving means of the cleaner.

It is an object of the present-invention to provide a new and improved suction cleaner construction. It-is anotherobject of the invention to provide a suction cleaner incorporating new and novel sound-absorbing means. A further object of the invention is to provide a new and novel suction cleaner including a dust bag within which is positioned an elongated muiiler which is connected to and insulated from the body proper of the suction cleaner. Still another object is the provision within the suction cleaner dust bag of an elongated muffler construction which is resiliently connected to the exhaust outlet of the suction-creating means of the suction cleaner. These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now the drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed, and in which the same reference character refers to the same parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a modern suction cleaner embodying the present invention with certain parts broken away-and showing the air-mufliing means;

Figure 2 is a partial side elevation showing the dust bag and mufiler elements disconnected from the machine proper; s

Figure 3 is a front view of the suction cleaner,

, in which the muflier is embodied, with certain parts broken away;

Figure 4 is a section through. the dust bag and muflier element upon the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a transverse cross-section through the bag-and-muiiier attaching ring upon the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 1s a, transverse cross-section through the bag and mufller upon the line 6-6 of 'Figure 4;

Figure '7 is a section upon the line 1-1 of Figure 1.

In the operation of a suction cleaner the sound vibrations emanating from the air discharged from the cleaner at high velocity is an important factor. In the usual suction cleaner this air is discharged from the suction-creating means into an air-permeable filter or dust bag through which it passes leaving the suspended foreign matter within the bag. In the suction cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention the dirt-laden air passes through a sound-absorbing mufiler. before coming into con tact with the dust bag. In the preferred form of the invention the muffler is telescopically positioned within the bag but the air must pass the length of the muffler before entering the bag to filter the'rethrough.

Referring again to the drawings, a modern suction cleaner is disclosed having a nozzle i the frame of which is mounted upon front and rear supporting wheels 2, 2 and 3, 3, respectively. The motor casing 4 and fan casing 5 are formed integrally and are rotatable about their own central axis relative to the nozzle l. A drivin motor 6 is positioned within the casing 4 and drives a suction-creating fan 1 within the fan casing 5. The end of the motor shaft 8 extends into one side of the nozzle l where it is connected to a power-transmitting belt 9 for the purpose of conveying power to a suitable agitator, one for example of the rotary type, positioned within the mouth of the nozzle I. The

I ran casing 5 is interiorly connected to the opposite end of nozzle l and air is drawn therefrom into the fan casing by the suction-creating fan 1 and exhausted from the casing rearwardly through the exhaust outlet III of the fan casing. The outer end of the outlet i0 is formed with a flange ll carrying suitable means I! adapted to secure a bag ring. p

The suction cleaner handle is indicated at I! and seats within a socket it formed integrally upon and movable with the motor and fan cas- As is clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 in the pivotal movement-of the handle no relative movement takes place between the handle, the motor and fan casing, and the exhaust outlet II). The incoming power leads I5 enter the upper end of the handle, extend to the controlling switch IG, and then pass. downwardly through the handle to the driving motor in a common and well known manner.

A dust bag H, which may be of any common and well known filter type, is seated at its lower end upon a ring l8. Ring I8 is adapted to lie against the exhamst outlet flange ll a'ndis provided with ears II, II which overlie and seat upon the securing means l2 carried by the flange. The ring I8 is provided with an'inne'r cylindrical portion and spaced concentric rim 2| of lesser extent. The bag l1 seats upon this outer rim 2! through being clamped thereto by a clamping ring 22 the ends of which are drawn together by suitable locking means.

Positioned within the bag I! and extended in the same direction is an elongated muffler 23 comprising an outer body or shell of metal open at both ends, within which is seated a tube 24 of sound absorbing material such as sponge rubbet. The sound-absorbing element 24 lies against the inner surface of the metallic sleeve or muiiier 23 and is prevented from longitudinal displacement therein through. the ends of that element being flanged inwardly.

Mufiler 23 telescopes the outer end of tubular portion 20 of the ring l8 and the sponge rubber sound-absorbing element is compressed between that portion and its own metallic sleeve. The muffler is additionally seated upon the ring l8 by means of a flexible resilient coupling 25 which seats upon the rim 2|, being clamped in place .by the bag-clamping ring 22. The sponge rubber 24 and the flexible resilient coupling 25 are seen to be the only connections between the muliler and the bag ring 22. At its opposite end the coupling encloses the inner end of the muiller 23, being secured thereto by suitable means such as encircling binding wires 26. The metallic sleeve of r'nuiller 23 is enlarged immediately -.ad jacent its inner end, as at 21, to provide a shoulder to prevent displacement of the coupling element.

The muflier element is supported near its outer or upper end by an encircling sling 28 which is secured to the top portion or the bag immediately adjacent thereto. Immediately adjacent the connection 01 the sling 28 to the bag I! isprovided a loop 29 upon its outer surface which is supported by a hook 30 which extends along the handle in spaced relationship thereto. Either the sling 28 or the loop 29 may be of metal, but one or the other should be of a non-conducting material, such as fabric or rubber, so that sound vibrations from the muffler cannot travel to the cleaner handle. Both the loop and the sling can be of metal if the insulation of bag cloth there- I between is adequate.

The sound deadening muiiler within the bag is seen to be supported in such a manner as to be insulated from all metallic parts of the cleaner body. At its inner or lower end the muiller is connected to the ring l8, which is itself connected to the cleaner metallic body, only through the resilient connections formed by the coupling 25 and by the contact of the sound-absorbing element 24 with the cylindrical portion 20 0! the ring I8. At its outer end the muiller is seen to be supported by a sling which is also insulated from the cleaner handle. The mufller, therefore, receives no vibrations from the cleaner body and is capable of transmitting no vibrations to-that body. The sound vibrations in. the air passing through the mufller are damped and absorbed and the air is exhausted into the dust bag relatively free therefrom. The sound absorbing materialused in the mufller need not be sponge rubber but may be instead any vibration-absorbing material which is sufficiently wear resistant to the high velocity dirt-laden air stream which passes therethrough.

The construction disclosed and illustrated in the present application comprises only a preierred tom of the invention which is susceptible of variation within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a suction'cleaner including suction-creating means and an air passageway connected thereto including a rigid portion and a mufiler, said muffler comprising a hollow body including a rigid metal tube and a rubber tube telescopically arranged therewith, said rubber tube forming a part of the air passageway exposed directly to air passing through said passageway and resiliently and movably supporting oneend' of said metal tube relative to said rigid portion.

2. In a suction cleaner including a body formed with a rigid exhaust outlet and air-moving means connected thereto, a ring adapted to mount removably a dust bag to said outlet and including a conduit portion forming an extension of said exhaust outlet, and a sound-absorbing muiller carried by said ring and comprising a hollow body which forms a passageway aligned with the conduit portion of said ring and including a rigid cylinder. and a resilient rubber tubular body which extends the length of said cylinder and connects to the conduit portion of said ring to provide resilient supporting means between said ring and said cylinder.

3. In a sound-absorbing unit for use in a suction-cleaner, a metallic connector adapted to be connected to an exhaust outlet of a suction cleaner and formed with anaperture, a cylindrical rigid body, a cylindrical sound-absorbing element in contact with said rigid body, positioned thereby and engaging said metallic connector, said cylindrical body and said soundabsorbing element forming an unobstructed air passageway open to the aperture of said connector, and a flexible rubber sleeve encircling said cylindrical body and said connector and mounting the former for flexure relative to the latter.

4. A mufller for use in a suction cleaner having a body, air-moving means in said body, a fllter bag connected to said body and adapted to receive air exhausted from said means, and a handle connected to said body supporting said bag at a point spaced from said body; comprising a sound-absorbing air passageway in said bag and through which air must pass in entering said bag, means connecting one end of said passageway to said body, and means supporting said passageway from said handle at a point within said bag and spaced from its connection to said body.

5. In a suction cleaner, a body, suction-creating means in said body, a handle connected to said body, a filter bag connected to said body and open to said suction-creating means, an elongated muilller in said bag, a resilient coupling connecting said muilier to said body, the relationship being such that air from said body passes through said muiiler in entering said bag, and non-metallic means supporting said muflier and bag from said handle at a point spaced from said body.

6. A dust bag and sound-absorbing air passageway unit for a suction cleaner, comprising a connecting ring, a filter bag having its mouth handle at a point spaced from said coupling and including elements inside and outside said bag.

7. In a suction cleaner including suction-creating means and an air passageway connected thereto, said passageway including a connector, a rigid hollow cylindrical body, and a cylindrical body of acoustid absorption material arranged concentrically with said rigid hollow body and exposed to air passing through said passageway, and flexible resilient means connecting one end nector.

8. In a suction cleaner having a body and suction-creating means, an air. passageway connected thereto, said passageway including a cylindrical connector seated upon said body and interiorly connected to said suction-creating means, a hollow rigid tube, and a. rubber tubular element extended in telescoping relationship with said rigid tube and exposed to air passing through 20 said passageway, said rubber tubular element connecting one end of said rigid' tube to said cylindrical connector.

9. The combination with a dust collecting vacuum cleaner bag and a dust-deflecting and sound-absorbing member including sound-ab sorbing material, said bag having a tubular mouth and said member having a tubular end, means for engaging the tubular end of said member and the mouth of said dust bag into unitary relation, the body of said member having an element of rigidity and being angular-1y adjustable 5 faces of said bag to be spaced away from the exterior surface of said member and form a storage space therebetween for collecting dust without clogging the mouth of said dust bag, and outwardly extending means at the outer end 10 of said member for supporting said member away of said rigid hollow cylindrical body to said confrom the inner surface of said dust bag.

'10. The combination with a dust collecting vacuum cleaner bag and a dust deflecting and sound-absorbing member including sound-ab- 15 sorbing material, said bag having a tubular mouth and'said member having a tubular end designed for engagement around the mouth of said dust bag, the body of said member having an element of rigidity and being angularly ad- 'justable relative to said mouth, and being adapted to maintain in the absence of outside forces a position longitudinally of the dust bag, whereby air discharged intosaid dust bag will cause the surfaces of said bag to be spaced away 25 from the exterior surface of said member and form a storage space ther'ebetween for collecting dust without clogging the mouth of said dust bag, and outwardly extending means on said member for supporting said deflector in and away 0 from the inner surface of said dust bag.

MAURICE I). swam; 

